AS MANY as 100,000 people in Wales, including 4,500 children, could still be suffering from Long Covid nearly five years after the pandemic struck, the Senedd heard.

Hefin David warned Covid has not gone away, with many thousands of people who feel like a forgotten group still suffering from the effects today.

Dr David, who represents Caerphilly, recalled meeting Lee David Bowen, an opera singer from Trethomas, who suffered from Long Covid.

He said: “I’m glad to say he’s back now, singing, and very successfully so – he’s been in the West End. But when I met him, he was a shadow of that person.

“The effect it had on his body, on his voice and on his brain was tragic to see, and though he has made what can only ever, we feel, be a partial recovery, we have seen that recovery.”

Leading a debate on December 11, he praised Gareth Yanto Evans, from the Long Covid Support charity, who has been instrumental in keeping Long Covid on the agenda.

Dr David warned of a lack of data on Long Covid, with Wales not taking part in a survey in March that showed 3.3% of people in England and Scotland were living with the condition.

He told the Senedd: “If we were to use that data to extrapolate similar numbers for Wales, it would equate to at least 100,000 people, including 4,500 children – and this is likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem.”

Dr David called for a public health campaign to highlight the danger of repeated Covid infections which increases the chance of developing Long Covid.

He said people with Long Covid are not necessarily classified as clinically vulnerable, so many are unable to access booster vaccines.

Dr David quoted a friend as saying: “We feel like a forgotten group, and it will hopefully get people realising the devastation it causes. People think that Covid is a thing of the past, but I’ve suffered since being hospitalised with Covid in March 2020.

“Frontline workers, teachers, NHS staff and carers have been particularly hit by this – many losing their careers and income. We were not protected.

“Many are being refused ill health retirement as permanence of the condition cannot be proved. I have had to give up my career as a college lecturer as chronic fatigue, brain fog, and dysphagia meant I can no longer teach, despite reducing my hours.”

Dr David raised concerns about the Welsh Government’s Adferiad (Recovery) Long Covid programme which offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy and counselling.

He said: “These interventions alone are insufficient to completely rehabilitate patients. In some cases, patients are being prescribed with exercise which can cause long-term harm.”

Responding for the Welsh Government, Jeremy Miles warned Wales was still experiencing waves of the infection and new variants of the virus.

The health secretary said Long Covid can manifest in many ways, with more than 200 symptoms reported to date, and have a profound impact on people’s lives.

Mr Miles, who was appointed in September, stated the Welsh Government has increased annual funding for health boards to deliver the Adferiad programme locally to £8m a year.

He said additional funding will widen access to recovery services to other similar conditions such as fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome.

In closing, he told the Senedd: “We will continue to focus on this important consequence of the pandemic and we will work with the NHS to meet people’s individual needs.”

THE WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS have intensified their criticism of the Labour Government over shockingly long ambulance waiting times in Wales. During Wales Questions in the House of Commons, Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick highlighted a harrowing case from his constituency, underscoring the dire state of emergency healthcare in Wales.

An 82-year-old man was forced to drive his wife, who had suffered a stroke, from Rhayader to Hereford—over an hour and 15 minutes away on winding, poorly maintained country roads—while she was paralysed and vomiting, unable to receive any immediate medical assistance. The family was left with no choice after waiting two hours for an ambulance and being informed that the wait could extend another 4–7 hours.

Chadwick described the delays as “abysmal” but, unfortunately, not uncommon in border communities across Wales. He called on both the UK and Welsh governments to take urgent action to address ambulance delays, emphasizing that a crisis in social care was exacerbating the problem.

RECENT FIGURES HIGHLIGHT GROWING CHALLENGES

Recent NHS Wales data reveals that in 2024, response times for Category 1 (life-threatening) calls remain below the target of 65% being answered within eight minutes. In some areas, fewer than 50% of such calls are met within this critical window. Furthermore, figures show that average ambulance waiting times have reached nearly six hours in parts of rural Wales, leaving patients in vulnerable situations.

Hospital congestion is one of the primary causes of the delays. Ambulances are frequently left queuing for hours outside hospitals like Hereford and Glangwili, as wards remain full due to patients who cannot be discharged without adequate social care arrangements. Care Forum Wales has warned that the ongoing social care funding crisis could collapse the system entirely, leaving a £150 million shortfall after changes in funding announced by Labour in the UK Government Budget.

STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES IN WALES

The geography of Wales presents unique challenges for healthcare provision. Vast rural areas, coupled with poor road infrastructure, mean that emergency services often struggle to reach patients quickly. In 2024, Powys—one of the most rural counties in Wales—saw ambulance response times among the worst in the country.

Moreover, staff shortages across the NHS and social care sectors are contributing to the strain. Healthcare workers are reportedly leaving the industry due to burnout, low pay, and the increasing complexity of their roles. Many social care providers have also expressed concern that the Labour Government’s decision to increase national insurance for care providers risks making an already precarious situation worse, potentially leading to more closures of care homes and services.

CALLS FOR ACTION

David Chadwick reiterated his concerns, saying: “Residents across Powys and right across Wales are enduring unacceptably long waits for ambulances in moments of crisis. A 7-hour wait is no longer a rare occurrence—it’s a damning indictment of how stretched our emergency services have become.

“Our hardworking healthcare professionals are doing everything they can under incredibly tough circumstances, but they need support. Labour’s policy of increasing national insurance for social care providers risks making the situation at A&Es worse by leading to more blocked hospital beds and further delays in ambulances being able to respond to emergencies.

“Social care is a critical part of the solution to easing pressures on hospitals and ambulance services. Without urgent action to address these systemic issues, residents will continue to face unacceptable risks. I will keep fighting for my constituents to ensure that no one is left without care during their time of need.”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a reversal of the national insurance rise for social care providers, increased investment in both NHS Wales and the social care system, and improved road infrastructure in rural communities to ensure emergency services can reach patients more efficiently.

A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN

The challenges facing Wales’s healthcare system are deeply rooted and multifaceted. While ambulance waiting times are a visible symptom of the crisis, addressing the underlying causes—such as social care shortages, funding deficits, and rural infrastructure—will require coordinated action between the Welsh and UK governments. Without such efforts, the risks to patients across Wales will continue to grow.

A VOTE has been passed in the Senedd today introducing new regulations to prohibit the supply of single-use vapes in Wales.

Introducing The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Wales) Regulations 2024 to prohibit the supply (including for free) of single-use vapes in Wales will be another crucial step in tackling the litter and plastic pollution which blight our streets and environment.

Following the vote in the Senedd, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “This is a major step forward in tackling throwaway culture and the environmental impacts of single-use vapes. This is a key priority for the Welsh Government, and we continue to work with the other UK nations to address these challenges.

“Removing single-use vapes from the supply chain will stop them harming wildlife and the environment when they’re littered or sent to landfill. This ban will mean we generate less waste, clean up our streets, and protect nature and wildlife.”

The Regulations will come into force on 1 June 2025.

The Welsh Government has worked closely with UK Government and other Devolved Governments on this matter with all Nations commencing the bans at the same time.

This will enable the bans to be co-ordinated to improve compliance and help provide a consistent approach to enforcement across the UK.

No single-use vapes can be sold or given away for free after 1 June 2025. Businesses should speak to their suppliers now about ordering alternatives and start to educate staff and inform customers.

Businesses will need to organise, for their customers, the eventual safe disposal of their single-use vapes.